Tag Archives: repentance

Consume Me

18 Thursday Jan 2018

Posted by in Deuteronomy, Ezekial, Hebrews, Isaiah, Matthew

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The past few nights in this windy city of Amarillo, Jason and I have been blessed by the fire that crackles and sparks in our beautiful fireplace.  No television to turn our attention away from a marvelous act of nature, no distractions to keep us from watching the flames as they soar high into the chimney in an array of colors from yellow to orange to blue.  No phones, no lights…nothing but the sound of our breathing and the awe-inspiring view of the all-consuming fire. I watched that fire last night dry those pieces of wood until they fell under their own weight and became nothing but dry ash on the bottom of the floor and I thought of God.

God is referred to in the Bible as an all-consuming fire, we should be worshipping Him with holy fear and awe (Hebrews 12:28-29) but we continue to get muddied up by the ways of the world.  Like I mentioned in my video last night (go back and watch it if you missed it) that we get so entangled in ourselves and in our own sin and selfishness that we forget that we are supposed to be the light in the room for others.  We lead by example and we follow the example of Christ.  There is no other way.  There is no sin that is ok for now!!  We have to call things forth and start driving out the things that are taking out our friends and loved ones with the Word of God and stop counseling them!  The Word is a double-edged sword that divides our soul and spirit.

God is an all-consuming fire. 

When you take a look at what fire does to wood, imagine what it can do to our soul if we let it.  I was thinking of Ezekiel last night in the valley of dry bones.  What made the bones dry?  It doesn’t say, but the bones represented the people of Israel and their sin…more than likely after the jealous, all-consuming fire of God swept through just as Moses prophesied to them (Deut 4:23-24).  What makes us think that we are guarded from God’s judgement just because we (as a society) have conditioned ourselves to believe that it is ok to let things slide to the point of our eternal doom?  The grace of Jesus is NOT greasy and cannot be mocked.

Because I have a pyrotechnic-wanna-be husband (lol), the fire in our fireplace last night reached epic heights and temperatures as it dried out that wood. The air around it became magnetized almost as the overwhelming heat rose through the chimney. It was the most beautiful sight to behold and I thought of the living water of Christ.  It covers us and washes away our filth that comes from the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning (Isaiah 4:4).  We are baptized in water for repentance but the Holy Spirit of Christ will baptize us with a NEW fire…one that was atoned for by His death.  And THAT needs to stay lit…and the only way for the Holy Spirit fire to stay lit is for us to continue to walk in it and show others the way to their own salvation. We have to keep setting the example to follow and become more like Christ, DAILY dying to ourselves for the sake of the building up of the Kingdom of God!

Let God’s all-consuming fire melt away the things that are troubling you, the things that are keeping you in bondage, the things that you refuse to speak out because it is so shameful…let it BURN away and then speak to your own dry bones and let them live again NEW then don’t stay quiet against the things of this world…you were brought here for a reason and a purpose…SHINE YOUR LIGHT…your dry bones can live…and so can THEIRS…Open your mouth and speak the truth…which is the Word of God.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 – The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”

“O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”

4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”

10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lordsays: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’”

Matthew 3:11-12 – “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Advertisements

A Mother’s Prayer

02 Wednesday Nov 2016

Posted by in Acts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

My mother never stopped praying for me, even when I rejected her faith and chose a life in pursuit of debauchery. Years passed without any apparent change, yet she always prayed. She always knew deep in her heart that God had very important work for me to to do, but that I couldn’t do it alone. I was always running ahead of Him and His plans while she patiently waited.

Acts 1:14 – They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

mother2 Jesus’ family was also spiritually divided. His siblings did not believe Him to be the Messiah. Even after Mary lost her oldest son on a cross, she continued to pray. My mom lost me more than once to the lifestyle I chose to lead but it is because of her prayers and devotion that I had a beautiful covering placed over me that only a mother’s prayer can do. Heaven heard her loving intercession and God hears my prayers for my children as well. Don’t ever give up!  The saddest thing I have ever seen is when a parent chooses to enable their adult child instead of giving them to the Lord and letting them get a full dose of whatever it is they think they need out there in the world.  To see that same parent stand next to a grave questioning what they could have done different is the most heart wrenching thing I have ever had to watch.  Give them back to the One who created them and GET OUT OF THE WAY and PRAY!

Here is what I want to drive home though. We cannot rely on others to get us by, even our own parents. We have to take personal responsibility and repent of our own shortcomings and sins in order to find true healing.

motherActs 3:19-20 –  Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.

We must acknowledge our OWN personal sin and turn away from it. Spiritual refreshment comes when God washes our sins away but it isn’t always easy to confess things when we are trying so desperately to prove our worth to PEOPLE. Admit your own disobedience and turn to the One who has the power to heal you. Drink from the well that never runs dry!

You can read Acts 1-4 about the birth of the new church at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in- the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Acts

The Lady at the Well

26 Wednesday Oct 2016

Posted by in Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, John, Psalms, Revelation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Jesus spoke to me. He showed me who I was and He took the time to sweetly and gently show me who HE was and what He alone could do for me. Just like He did with the woman at Jacob’s Well in the Bible. I was alone, I was scared, I was hopeless, I was helpless, I was near death, I was doing terrible things, I was a victim of my own circumstances, I was sinning, I was LOST…dead woman walking. I was hungry, I was thirsty, I was tired. Then He rescued me and took me to my own Jacob’s Well where I found healing and comfort. This story makes me cry every time I read it. It touches me on so many levels that it’s hard to even find words for it….

Jwell1ohn 4:6-26 – 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

well3I can picture it. I am in my room all by myself at Jacob’s Well, rocking on my little bed asking over and over again “Why me?”. Tears are falling from my face and I am feeling completely unworthy of anyone’s love. Here I am again, back in treatment again; something is different this time, I just can’t put my finger on it. The room is dark, but for the light coming from the window next to my bed. I am ashamed, guilt-ridden, alone, and confused. Just me and my thoughts. Then I feel a presence next to me. It is Jesus. His warm arms wrap around me so tight. I look up and He is crying, too, because He feels my hurt and He knows my heart. He begins to offer me hope. He acknowledges all my sins. At that, I squirm and get ready to run from the room. Instead, I find myself creeping off the bed onto the floor to sit at His feet. Before I can even make thoughts, He answers them. With tears streaming down His face, He begs me to stop fighting and to give into Him. It’s all He has ever wanted. All He wants is ME. He then whispers to me as I lay at His feet that it is all going to be OK. He will feed me with His Word, He will offer me drink from His fountain. I will never be hungry or thirsty again and my soul will be satisfied. He promises me that He has been there all along and has never left my side and I believe Him. I am filled with a presence and a peace like no other. I look up and I am alone in my dark room again, on the floor. There is no one around, but I am not alone. THE I AM IS STILL WITH ME.

The Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well in the book of John, Chapter 4, represents all the women at the Jacob’s Well I know and love. She came looking for something natural, if only she could fill her jug with water. Yet, Jesus told her all about herself and loved her through her evident sin and pain and there was no doubt in her mind that she had been in the presence of God. In all my journeys, I sought things in the natural. I went from one thing to another, always looking for things to attain my short life on earth and it was all in vain. Here’s the thing….before the Samaritan woman left the well to spread the news of the Messiah, she dropped her water jug.

John 4:28-30 (AMP) – 28 Then the woman left her water jar and went away to the town. And she began telling the people, 29 Come, see a Man Who has told me everything that I ever did! Can this be [is not this] the Christ? [Must not this be the Messiah, the Anointed One?] 30 So the people left the town and set out to go to Him.

She DROPPED the one thing she went for because she was filled in the Spirit. She no longer desired the things of the world! This woman who had been a harlot, who had invested all her time unwisely, who had become someone to be pushed aside and mocked, had come to see the Living God in person and her life was forever changed. People believed her IMMEDIATELY and went looking for Jesus themselves. What would happen if we only dropped and allowed to shatter the things that seem to matter to us the most? What if we left those things at the feet of Jesus in their broken state and allowed Him to heal our hearts instead? What would happen if we listened to God when He spoke to us and told us who we were and took heed? What would happen if we left behind the things that so easily entangled so that we could truly get all we could out of the life we have been GIVEN by only following Him and seeking Him and bringing others to HIM and not to ourselves?

well2I am NOTHING without God. I have nothing without God. I survive only because of God. He has given me everything and now I have an opportunity to give back and use my past life as a living testimony to bring others into the Light of Truth, however painful it may be. When I return to the dust from which we came, as we all will, I want to leave a legacy and not a mess.

You can read John 1-4 about the message and ministry of Jesus at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in- the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #John

To further your reading, consider this from:

Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 (NASB) – 6 Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Life is so very fragile. We should recognize life as a precious gift, meant to be lived in an abundant way, always looking to the Lord for answers and guidance. Drop your pitcher at the well and move on! REMEMBER HIM….

Related Scriptures: Psalm 146:4; Isaiah 44:3; Revelation 21:6

Long Ago

27 Wednesday Jul 2016

Posted by in 1 Samuel, Hebrews, Isaiah, Luke

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

mountaintop1I had a dream about Mountain Top Tennessee last night. It was strange, considering I haven’t thought about that in so many years. Mountain Top was a church camp I attended as a young pre-teen. It is a service oriented camp. It as a beautiful experience, helping those less fortunate do tasks that they could have never afforded to hire anyone to do but were of utmost importance to them and down-right necessary for their continued survival and comfort.

Isaiah 48:6-10 – “Remember this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.
9 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’

mountaintop2There was a time in my life, not long after the Mountain Top experience, when I became increasingly rebellious. I would get caught up in revelry and forget altogether of the person I was supposed to be. I would laugh at things that were absolutely not funny at the expense of others. I looked down upon everyone when it was I that had been brought low. Silence is acceptance and I overlooked a LOT of crazy behaviors and even joined in more often than not just to fit in. The memories I have of the 23 years at the hands of the enemy are far more numerous that the ones of Mountain Top and the time when I was still innocent and care-free. But God does not want me reflecting on THOSE memories of the not so distant past. His desire is for me to remember the good. Maybe that is why I had the dream about life before the tragedy, before the world took my perspective, and before my rebellion.

mountaintop3You can read Isaiah 44-48 about Isaiah’s prophecies at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Isaiah

To further your reading, consider this from:

Isaiah 48:17-18 – This is what the Lord says—
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
18 If only you had paid attention to my commands,
your peace would have been like a river,
your well-being like the waves of the sea.

If only I had listened to the still, small voice. If only I had obeyed His commands. How differently would my life have turned out? Don’t get entangled in the times of long ago, unless it is useful for building up the Kingdom of God. Do not allow the enemy to have a foothold to keep you in bondage to your past. God directs our steps and once we come to repentance, then He will order our steps!!

Related Scriptures: 1 Samuel 15:23; Luke 23:14; Hebrews 3:15

Whose Perspective?

25 Monday Jul 2016

Posted by in Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

perspective1We ALL at SOME POINT reflect on the past. We look to our failures, broken dreams, broken institutions, missed opportunities, and emptiness which is man’s perspective. Some of us look upon the past with hope, adoration, acceptance, gratitude, and love of the memories from God’s perspective. Who is always with us…times of failure, and times of success? JESUS! God has a purpose for both our ups and our downs.

Isaiah 38:15-20 – But what can I say?
He has spoken to me, and he himself has done this.
I will walk humbly all my years
because of this anguish of my soul.
16 Lord, by such things people live;
and my spirit finds life in them too.
You restored me to health
and let me live.
17 Surely it was for my benefit
that I suffered such anguish.
In your love you kept me
from the pit of destruction;
you have put all my sins
behind your back.
18 For the grave cannot praise you,
death cannot sing your praise;
those who go down to the pit
cannot hope for your faithfulness.
19 The living, the living—they praise you,
as I am doing today;
parents tell their children
about your faithfulness.

20 The Lord will save me,
and we will sing with stringed instruments
all the days of our lives
in the temple of the Lord.

perspective2PRAYER brings perspective, deliverance, and forgiveness of our past. Is your past making you bitter? Or are you able to see the blessings? There is NOTHING we go through that is too hard for God. There is nothing that we suffer from without a heavenly solution. There is no benefit to the perspective of man when we are bitter, only the blessedness of Christ when we can see the bigger picture. Stop looking that at your life with dark tinted glasses and see things from a new and improved view! There are young people who are coming into their own who are looking to us for answers and we are wallowing away in doubt and self-pity. Are you passing along joy, or anger? Bitterness or hope? Hate or forgiveness? Depression or excitement? BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD!

You can read Isaiah 36-39 about Isaiah’s prophecies at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Isaiah

To further your reading, consider this from:

perspective3Micah 7:19 – You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

The Sea of Unforgetfulness! What an awesome sight to ponder upon! A sea filled with the past sins of our lives. God does not stay angry forever and is so glad when we come to repentance and finally see ourselves, not as what we once were, but as He sees us!

Related Scriptures: Psalm 119:25; Jeremiah 31:34; Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Convictions

19 Tuesday Jul 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

What is the condition of your heart? Have you lost all hope, given up completely? When the barrage of endless attacks come (mainly the ones between your ears), do you take heed and are you convicted, or do you choose to laugh it off and feast on your flesh instead?

truth6How are you responding when the tug on your heart is something that cannot be ignored, when there is sin in your life that just continues without thought, when the thoughts of your mind are questionable inside of themselves, when your motives are less than pure? Do you know what conviction is? What are your values, commitments, and motivations that determine your conduct? As self-proclaimed Christians carrying the light and love of Christ, you should be acutely aware that your decisions have ETERNAL implications.

Isaiah 22:12-13 – The Lord, the Lord Almighty,
called you on that day
to weep and to wail,
to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth.
13 But see, there is joy and revelry,
slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep,
eating of meat and drinking of wine!
“Let us eat and drink,” you say,
“for tomorrow we die!”

truth7These verses hit me upside the head like a two-by-four. These people should have been repentant, not throwing a party and putting on a plastic smile for the world. They lost trust in God and His promises, gave up hope, and feasted on the things of the world. They were in despair so they chose self-indulgence. What is your response when shown the error of your ways? Do you throw it off and pretend it isn’t there, get defensive, find excuses? Do you compare your little sin to the sin of others? Or do you admit when you are wrong and try to correct the problem? Nothing was more powerful for me than being able to look into the mirror and take responsibility. No one else was my problem when I wasted away in a dry and arrid land. I WAS THE PROBLEM. I’ve said it a hundred times and I will say it again…Personal Responsibility = Freedom

TRUST is the answer. LOVE is the answer. TRUTH is the answer. And all those things point to JESUS and Him crucified for YOU.

truth5You can read Isaiah 19-22 about Isaiah’s prophecies at www.biblegateway.com. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #Isaiah

To further your reading, consider this from:

John 8:32 – Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

The truth hurts, especially when it’s something we are trying to avoid or don’t want to hear. What is the truth you are running from that has the power to set you free through conviction and repentance?

Related Scriptures: James 2:12; 1 Corinthians 15:32; Joel 1:13

True Repentance is a Changed Life

31 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by in 1 Timothy, 2 Chronicles, 2 Corinthians, 2 Timothy, Luke

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I used to really believe the lie that I was always in trouble with my Creator. I felt like everything I did was wrong and I didn’t feel worthy of His love, grace, and mercy. The LIES: I failed, I’m miserable, I’m hurting, I’m angry, I’m scared, I’m inadequate, I’m not a good person. The TRUTH: Jesus is my redeemer, He is my protector, He is my friend, He is my Savior. God separates who I am in Christ from what I have done! Thank you JESUS!! Once I realized THAT, then I realized that God is not the author of bad things! He is a God of Justice! He is a God of Love! He is a God of Strength! He is a God of Forgiveness!

repent7Jesus will stay by my side even when I am losing my faith in His promises. I still get bogged down about what to do about everything taking place in my life. I easily forget what God promised me and I try to think about ways to “make things happen” and I lose sight of what He alone can do. I have to be reminded that God is God and He is Faithful! If I refuse His help, then I break communication with Him altogether, but He will NEVER turn His back on me…EVER.

We had a long discussion at Jacob’s Well one night while we were just hanging out after devotion. Someone asked what Mercy really was. After we got into the Word of God, we came to the conclusion that Mercy is NOT getting what I deserve. I deserve Hell and Fire for all that I have done in my life, but God gives me Mercy so that I can continue to walk in FREEDOM. I don’t sin thinking that I have a “get out of jail free card” but if I do sin and I have Godly sorrow and ask for forgiveness and repent and not go back to that SAME sin over and over and over again, then I will be forgiven and His mercy is given to me all over again! GOD IS NOT MAD AT ME, He is mad at the sin that so easily entangles me.

repent4He KNEW that I wasn’t righteous! He knew that I was a jumbled up HOT MESS! He knew that I was a sinner, and He came for ME anyway! How can He be mad at me if He already KNEW???!!!

THIS is the legacy I want to leave. He displayed so much patience with me for a very, very, very LONG TIME. And He was there, scarred hands held out, arms open wide…WAITING for ME!

2 Chronicles 7:14 – if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

repent6There was a time in my life where I was guilt ridden. I desired a change, but did nothing about it. I said I was sorry so much that the people in my life couldn’t stand to hear the words anymore because I always went back to the same things that I had originally been sorry for. I felt sorrowful and regretful, but saying the words only bought me more time to figure out how I could go back to being who I was….a sorry excuse for a human being.

God is kind and merciful and patient. He holds back judgment to give me time to repent but He doesn’t just want repentance, He wants CHANGE.

You can read 2 Chronicles 5-8 about the finishing and dedication of the Temple and Solomon’s Prayer at www.biblegateway.com.. What a testimony to God’s favor and mercy upon us all! Join in the discussion by posting comments or questions below and let’s do this together!! #ReadtheBible #bgbg2 #BibleGateway #newbeginnings #2Chronicles

To further your reading, and to dive a bit deeper, consider this from:

repentLuke 5:32 – I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

There are steps to take in order to really live a repentant life.

First, I must humble myself by admitting that I was wrong. That was hard for someone who had so much pride. I used to be unteachable because of my egotistical, conceited, and vain approach to life.

Second, I must pray to God asking for forgiveness. This is where Godly sorrow comes in.

Worldly sorrow is feeling crappy because I got caught and being overly concerned with what others thought of me and not what God thought of me. Godly sorrow is the key to changed behavior.

Third, I must seek God all the time and in all that I do. When I put Him into the equation of every decision I make, it’s really hard for me to make bad decisions.

Nothing can break the communion I have with God when I seek Him with ALL MY HEART!

Fourth, I must turn from my wicked ways! I must BE the change that I desire. I must walk the walk and not just talk the talk. Saying “I am sorry” should have meaning behind it because the person I am speaking to will know of my character that I am a changed person, inside and out.

Related Scriptures: 2 Timothy 2:13; 1 Timothy 1:16; 2 Corinthians 7:10